Mansion Condominiums at Playa Vista, Los Angeles

On the Boards / Merit

The judges applauded the romantic contextuality of the Mansion Condominiums at Playa Vista. "It is L.A.," said one. The folks at Scheurer Architects would be happy to hear that; according to director of design Bob White, that's exactly what they were going for. "We used the L.A. courtyard buildings of the 1920s and '30s as our inspiration," he says.

The Mansion Condominiums' one-acre site is located at the intersection of two major streets in this ambitious Neo-Traditional community. In addition to modeling the 35-unit complex after classic L.A. courtyard buildings, White and his team opted to give the project its own personal history. "We wanted it to look like an old house that's been converted into condos," he explains.

The three street facades each resemble a Spanish villa. Inside the arched entry, the "mansions" are carved up into condominiums with courtyards, gardens, and other semi-private outdoor spaces.

The judges approved of the Mansion Condominiums’asymmetrical elevations. Turrets, arched windows, balconies, and varying roof heights lend authenticity to the project’s fictional history as three large houses subdivided over time.